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Thursday, November 26, 2015
ARTISAN STORIES BOOMERS ROCK RECORDS WHO SAID ROCK AND ROLL WAS FOR THE KIDS?
TV’S THERMO NUCLEAR SOAP OPERAS
YOUR CHANCE TO WIN A YATES GARDENING HAMPER
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nzherald.co.nz | The New Zealand Herald | Thursday, November 26, 2015
Life in retirement’s fast lane
“...you’re never too old to exercise – you’ve just got to choose the right way to do it”
If you’ve always imagined that life in a retirement village is all about slowing down, you may want to think again.
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or thousands of residents at Ryman Healthcare’s 30 villages in New Zealand and Australia, life is more busy and active than it was before. That pace of life is largely down to the hard work of Nicki Brown, who developed Ryman’s first circuit classes for residents eight years ago. Today more than 2500 residents follow her Triple A fitness regime each week. Triple A – which stands for Ageless, Active, Aware – is a key part of Ryman’s
Engage activities programme. Nicki has a background in exercise physiology, and has completed a research project on physical activity in older adults. Her conclusion was that residents were more physically active after they moved into a Ryman village than they were before. Residents have also recorded significant improvements in their strength and balance as a result of attending Triple A classes. Triple A classes are optional and come at no extra cost to Ryman residents – they can take it or leave it if they like – but if demand for Nicki’s classes is anything to go by, the majority are taking it. Nicki’s mantra is that the more active you are – at any age or stage – the healthier you will be in the years ahead.
“Having such a good take up of the programme is significant because there’s a wealth of evidence that shows the more you exercise the healthier and more independent you will be in the long term,’’ Nicki says. “The truth is that you’re never too old to exercise – you’ve just got to choose the right way to do it.’’ When you have Triple A, a pool and regular exercise classes on tap at a Ryman village, it is harder to come up with excuses not to exercise, she says. Ryman’s Engage programme caters to the intellectual as well as the physical. Other activities include quizzes, music and art classes, resident choir, skiffle bands and men’s club.
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0800 588 222 www.rymanhealthcare.co.nz
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INSIDE +PLUS 4-5
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Artisan stories
Thermo-nuclear soap operas
Greg Fleming meets two skilled artisans who — despite our increasingly teched-up world — are happily set in their old-school ways
Ernest Rutherford’s discovery provides the background for two of the year’s best shows, writes +Plus screen critic Paul Casserly
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Growing up the wall Getting vertical with your garden ensures even the smallest plot yields a bountiful harvest, writes Sarah O’Neil. Plus, win a Yates Natural Goodness Hamper
Boomers rock records Who said rock’n roll was for kids? It’s a golden age for golden oldies who refuse to grow old, reckons Alan Perrott
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14 Hit the trail
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Leigh Bramwell figures out a way of fixing three serious problems simultaneously
An uneconomic railway line inspires locals and tourists to get on bikes
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nzherald.co.nz | The New Zealand Herald | Thursday, November 26, 2015
Artisan
Luthier Glyn Evans believes a good guitar depends on design, materials and the skill of the maker. Pictures Ted Baghurst
Greg Fleming meets two skilled artisans who — despite our increasingly teched-up world The Luthier: Mr Glyn
G
lyn Evans has been in the guitar business most of his life — as a player, builder, repairer and teacher — and he’s never been busier. The Welshman built his first guitar at 17 — it fell to bits on his first gig. But after gaining a degree from the Leeds College of Music in musical instrument technology (long since closed down, replaced by a course for budding DJs), Glyn’s experience and craftsmanship has won him a loyal following among local musicians since he opened his shop in 2007. The guitars he builds now will last a lifetime or two. He scavenges wood when he sees it might work for a guitar he has in mind — some mahogony from Onehunga, some Douglas fir from a nearby demo site. Each takes around three months.
He shows me a guitar he is currently working on built out of swamp kauri he sourced through a contact in Kumeu. And the difference between a handmade guitar and a factorymade one? “It's one of the few things where the little guy can win,” says Glyn. “In factories guitars are made
instruments started coming on the market, the consensus was we'd be throwing worn guitars away and just getting a new one like with TVs and phones. But instead it’s just highlighted how good better quality guitars are. “The vintage market has expanded too. I can only see demand increasing.”
Sometimes people bring things in and I think, ‘Hang on, wasn’t that somebody famous?’ within certain tolerances that they know work. But the advantage a skilled luthier has is being able to assess an individual piece of wood, its weight, flexibility, tap tone and get the best out of it.” Much of the work at his newly renovated workshop on Khyber Pass Rd is repairing and restoring older instruments. “When all the cheap Chinese
And Glyn’s clear on what makes a good guitar — “design, materials and the skill of the maker. “All the clever stuff is inside and never seen by the player. It's by shaving and tuning the internal braces that a skilled luthier can make the difference.” An instrument’s value isn’t always determined by the market. He tells me of one recent cus-
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tomer who brought in a top of the line Gibson J-200 (retail $6000-plus) to set up. All went well. The customer seemed satisfied. A few weeks later the same man brought in a beat-up old Yamaha acoustic, which he’d owned for decades and played at hundreds of parties. It turns out the pricey J-200 setup was just a test. “He told me, ‘I can buy a new J-200 any day but this is really valuable. You can’t replace that history!’ ” Glyn points out an old 70s Martin sitting on his workbench. It was brought in by the sons of the owner. They found it when they helped their father move house and are now getting it fixed up to give to him on his 70th birthday. Where are the next generation of luthiers going to come from? “I don’t know. I think they go to the internet to learn.” As we speak musos from local
rock bands Black River Drive and Head Like A Hole pop in to pick up or drop off instruments. “It’s a great community,” he says. “And you do get a real satisfaction when you give an instrument back to its owner.” “Sometimes people bring things in and I think, ‘Hang on, wasn’t that somebody famous?’, and I have to get on Google images and check.” Most customers come to him via word-of-mouth recommendation and inevitably he’s had his share of encounters with famous faces. But whether it’s Neil Finn or Neil Nobody the attention taken is the same. Behind us lie dozens of instruments in their cases awaiting Glyn’s attention. “I look at it this way,” he says. “Each of these instruments has a story, and there’s a whole lot of stories there to keep me busy.” On the web: mrglyn.co.nz/
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Watchmaker Blair Shallard is overwhelmed with work.
stories
Pictures Ted Baghurst
Returning a groomed and serviced watch to a grateful customer feels fantastic.
— are happily set in their old-school ways The Watchmaker: Blair Shallard
B
lair Shallard originally wanted to be a lawyer, but got a job at Citizen Watches during one term break and found a new passion. After working alongside a variety of watch and clock makers, Blair now runs his own shop, Watches on Broadway in Newmarket, where he works mostly on high-grade Swiss watches. Like luthier Glyn Evans, Blair is overwhelmed with work. Watches waiting to be worked on fill a drawer beneath his workbench, all carefully wrapped in plastic and labelled. The recent acquisition of new apprentice Sam Bajaj has helped ease the load and the wait-time for customers, before that the wait for a repair was up to six weeks. “From the day I opened Watches on Broadway I have been busy,” Blair says. “I still do all the more complicated
work, but at the rate Sam is going he will be handling the big stuff in a year or so. “I will finally be able to focus on growing other aspects of the business and my dream — to design and produce my own watches and clocks.” Overseas there are watchmaking schools after which students can easily get a job working for a Swiss company, but finding someone locally who is willing to hire and train a watchmaker is difficult. “And even then,” says Blair, “it is not uncommon to spend an entire apprenticeship changing batteries and doing minor repairs. I have seen qualified apprentices unable to service a simple mechanical watch without help. “Hopefully this is about to change, as the JWNZ [The Jewellers & Watchmakers of New Zealand] and NZHI [New Zealand Horological Institute] have collaborated on a proper course. This can only be a good thing for the trade.”
Blair’s no watch geek and the value of a watch is to him secondary to its mechanical precision. His favourite brand to work on is Rolex. “I find the mechanisms to be robust and exceptionally well made. Rolex owners frequently want the cases and bracelets re-finished. “It is always nice to hand back a valuable watch knowing it looks as good on the outside as it does on the inside. There is a lot of satisfaction in that. “Otherwise, there is so much platform-sharing in watches that distinguishing between brands can
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become meaningless. Many of the mechanisms are found in hundreds of different brands. “In that case the type I most enjoy working on are mechanical chronographs like the Valjoux 7750 or older Lemania chronographs. They are a joy to work on because of their added complexity.” And the work has its satisfactions. “Returning a groomed and serviced watch to a grateful customer feels fantastic. “That and I always have a ready excuse to buy more tools! “Having a lathe and a milling
machine here gives us a big edge over other repair shops as we can make custom tools and even watch parts. “A few months back a couple of executives from Rolex were in town visiting their dealers. “After completing their official business they dropped in here for a look around and I showed them how I had cut a new wheel to replace a broken one in one of their old and obsolete watches. “They were genuinely impressed. That was a good day.” ■ On the web: clockmaker.co.nz
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+PLUS SCREEN
Ernest Rutherford started a chain reaction that has changed the world. It has powered millions, killed a few hundred thousand and provides the background for two of the year’s best shows, writes +Plus screen critic Paul Casserly
nzherald.co.nz | The New Zealand Herald | Thursday, November 26, 2015
Corporation (Madman DVD). The rather epic production may lack some of the finesse of Manhattan but it’s not hard to see why it broke all records in Norway for audience figures. Some 1.5 million viewers tuned in out of a population of five million, so not unlike the number of Kiwis who tuned in to the RWC final. It begins as Werner Heisenberg (Christoph Bach) wins the Nobel Prize for the creation of quantum physics. Problem was, he was considered a “white Jew” by the anti-Semites in the German scientific community. Himmler’s newspapers criticised Heisenberg, hinting that he should “disappear”. But get this, his mother knew Himmler’s mother and they had a chat and — in the mini-series at least — Heisneberg is saved from deportation to a camp because of this meeting of the mums. He trots off to try to build a bomb. As one Norwegian reviewer so aptly put it: “It will enrage some historians, and some concerned will complain, but most television viewers will be engulfed”. Like Manhattan it takes its liberties, but its epic nature explains why the story is so big in Norway and why I binged it three episodes at a time. Heisenberg (yes, that’s where Breaking Bad’s Walter White got his nom de plume) is only part of the story. The rest revolves around amateur Norwegian fighters who
Manhattan is driven by one of the most unlikable protagonists in TV history, Dr Frank Winter (John Benjamin Hickey, left).
Thermo-nuclear soap operas A
sk random people what New Zealand’s greatest achievements are and eventually, after some “back-to-back world cups”, a touch of “Everest” and maybe a mumbled “Lord Of The Rings”, someone will say “that guy who split the atom.” And quite right too. I can’t recommend enough that you watch Manhattan. It would have to be the series that surprised and engaged me more than anything, which is a big call in the golden age catalogue of 2015 that included Better Call Saul, Fargo, The Leftovers, Mr Robot, Wolf Hall, Bloodlines and the fantastic final series of Mad Men. Ostensibly Manhattan is the story of the mission to build the world’s first atomic bomb, the title a reference to the Manhattan Project. It’s a drama centered around a bunch of brilliant
but flawed scientists and their families in the dust bowl of Los Alamos in the early 1940s. It’s one-part paranoid thriller, one-part sexy soap opera and occasionally a little bit Myth Busters. Such is the “loose lips sink ships” paranoia surrounding the top-secret mission that few on the base are allowed to know what the boffins are doing, while the scientists themselves will only refer to bomb as “the gadget”. The show is driven by one of the most unlikable protagonists in TV history, Dr Frank Winter (John Benjamin Hickey). It’s the sort of character (loosely based on physicist Seth Neddermeyer) and performance that makes some people groan, but is pure catnip to me. The guy is an a-hole trying to make an A bomb, what’s more he’s having an affair with the one woman he can spill his guts to,
because she doesn’t speak English. He has issues. Yes, he’s worried what this bomb might actually do, but he’s more worried that someone else will beat him to it. His wife, played by Olivia Williams, is just as captivating and complicated. She’s a botanist who has observed the flowerbeds and sickly soldiers and figured out this nuclear lark might have some nasty side-effects up its sleeve. Like many of the best characters of late, she’s also a little bit mentally ill. But it’s not just the Nazis working against Winter and his team. That would be too easy. There’s another design team, run by upstart genius Charlie Isaacs (Ashley Zuckerman), not to mention the meddling FBI agent who smells commies everywhere. It’s written by Sam Shaw and directed by Thomas Schlamme, of
West Wing fame, so it zings along at a clip, and is well furnished with great sex scenes and plenty of black humour. “Now I am become Death, the destroyer of worlds,” drones the deliciously dour Robert Oppenhiemer — the man who will be credited with creating the bomb — portrayed here as a melancholic mess of a man not afraid to spout Hindu scripture. The only spanner in the works is how you get to watch it. At the minute it’s only available on Neon, Sky’s version of Netflix, but I reckon it’s worth signing up to the 30-day free trial just to see it. Meanwhile in Germany, the Nazis were trying to build their version of the A Bomb. You can see that side of the story via the six-part series Kampen om tungtvannet or The Heavy Water War out of the Norwegian Broadcasting
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nzherald.co.nz | The New Zealand Herald | Thursday, November 26, 2015
Boomers rock Who said rock’n roll was for kids? It’s a golden age for golden oldies who refuse to grow old, reckons Alan Perrott
Y
The Rolling Stones’ 2014 tour was one of the year’s most lucrative, according to Forbes. Picture Michael Craig
ou can’t even say, “Summer’s coming, it’s the season for it.” It’s always the season for ageing rock stars to head our way and knock another lump off the mortgage. We’d only just waved bye-bye to Kiss, Robbie Williams, 10cc and Burt Bacharach when it was time to put the jug back on to welcome Fleetwood Mac…again. Even then, and without trying to be exhaustive, if the Mac weren’t your thing there’s still Elton John, UB40, Simply Red, Jackson Browne, Black Sabbath and Iron Maiden to come. Who the hell said rock and roll was for the kids? Not The Who. If they famously wanted to die before they got old, it’s clear their definition of old was well ahead of its time. How is it that the biggest concerts of any year are now played by people old enough to be the grandparents of the kids topping the singles charts? Well, there’s no doubt that baby boomers turn out. In droves. Last year, according to forbes.com, four of the most lucrative tours were by Michael Buble, Paul McCartney, The Eagles and The Rolling Stones. Every one of them can and does sell out the biggest arenas, and it’s never on the basis of their latest single — OK, Buble is the exception, but let’s face it, he’s pretty much about reheating the old, old stuff. As for this year, the second biggest money spinner is looking to be Fleetwood Mac (behind those wrinkle-free upstarts, One Direction) and hands up anyone who can name their last album? As everyone knows, whenever someone like
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Grey Lynn’s Bharat Jamnadas has always been surrounded by music.
Mick Jagger takes the mic to announce a song as “off their new album” it’s time to find the toilet, the bar or check the babysitter. This is known as having a one-way discography which means you might hear their old stuff and be tempted to check out the new, but never vice versa. So, it’s all about nostalgia and lost youth, and if you saw the generation that turned out to see the Tommy Dorsey and Count Basie Orchestras of late you’ll know boomers have no monopoly on that sentiment. What boomers may monopolise is mass nostalgia. Until the internet arrived there were only a few, if all-pervasive, ways to hear music so theirs was a generation that knew, recognised, and possibly even owned every song in the top ten (and on vinyl too).
Picture Ted Baghurst
These days you’d need several versions of yourself to keep up with a fractalised musicscape that invents new genres on a daily basis. Not that a boomer would bother — everyone knows they don’t write songs like they used to. Ha. Still, why do the over-50s keep turning out for the same old bands? The Stones have been here often enough to apply for residency and unless they know something Sir Isaac Newton didn’t, their shows aren’t getting better with age. For one thing, says April Stevens, “It’s hard to find good gigs to go to these days. So many bands seem to rely on beats and backing music you don’t get that sense of musicality and rawness.” The 51-year-old Aucklander has been a
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records longtime gig-goer who, having found it difficult to keep up with new music, has taken to stadium shows with gusto. “It’s about being entertained, and if it’s a big concert with a big crowd you expect a big show. I was no great fan of Michael Jackson, but that was some show, truly professional, and seeing it live had so much more appeal to me. “Even if the singing isn’t always all that great, it’s that raw energy that makes it sound so much better than hearing the same song on the radio.” She knows what she’s talking about. The walls of her Ponsonby business, Documents Unlimited, are lined with classic gig posters and she can tick off the ones she attended. “Seeing a band like The Stones brings back all these cherished memories — I still have tiles from the old Gluepot [music venue] — and even if there’s some risk that they might not have it anymore, it’s always a lot of fun to have a dance and a boogie in a big, noisy crowd.” But being a boomer doesn’t have to mean listening only to boomer music. Grey Lynn faceabout-town Bharat Jamnadas is as likely to be seen at a Fat Freddies Drop gig as anything at Western Springs. If slightly reticent about his age, he will admit to be being in his 20s and living in Fiji when
Southbound Records’ Top Five recent boomer releases
Fleetwood Mac’s Rumours came out. He’s worked as an event promoter, tv presenter, manager of Fijian group Mantis, music writer, compulsive gig-goer, and even part-time chef for the previously mentioned Fat Freddies (they love a good goat curry). “So it’s not just the music, it’s the relationships you can build up as well. “I’ve watched a lot of Auckland musos go from teenagers to their 30s and I’ve kept up friendships with people like [blues musician] Taj Mahal,” says Jamnadas, “but I also get out to see a lot of the older guys like Leonard Cohen, The Who and Steely Dan. Those guys aren’t any less than they’ve been before, still at the top of their game. It’s wonderful stuff, wonderful music. ” One highlight was running into George Benson in a Jakarta bar after one of his gigs and getting the job of minding him for the night: “I’ll remember that forever. There’s a photo on my Facebook page. “But then,” says Jamnadas,”I’ve always been around music and music has always been around me. It’s a basic part of life now and I can’t wait to see what happens over summer and beyond. I’ll see anything. Well, except for indie. That’s never done it for me.”
Keith Richards Crosseyed Heart (Virgin/ EMI) The Stones’ legend’s third album and first in 23 years. If you didn’t know it already, Richards does love him some blues.
Recent visitors Fleetwood Mac played two sold out shows at Mt Smart Stadium.
Amy Soundtrack (Island) A blend of the compositions Antonio Pinto wrote for the documentary and various Winehouse tracks including alternate or live versions. Leon Bridges Coming Home (Columbia) A 25-year-old revivalist from Fort Worth with a hankering for the smooth RnB stylings of Sam Cooke with all the trimmings.
+Plus pick Complicated Game James McMurtry Released last February, Complicated Game is McMurtry’s best set of songs yet. If you’re a fan of the grumpy 52-year-old, alt-country singer songwriter you know what to expect — razor-sharp character studies of the kind of Americans rarely glimpsed in American music. It’s also his best -sounding record — this time around McMurtry wisely surrendered production duties to C.C. Adcock and Mike Napolitano. Writer Stephen King calls him “the truest, fiercest songwriter of his generation”, and tracks like You Got To Me, How’m I Gonna Find You Now and the superb Carlisle’s Haul repay King’s belief. A classic and sure to feature high on the year’s best list. Greg Fleming
Wilco Star Wars (dBpm) Possibly their most playful album in yonks and also their most accessible. Is considered their best work in ten years. Tami Neilson Dynamite! (self-released) Big voice, big songs and a Silver Scroll award. There’s no try in Neilson’s country, only do. ■ Southbound Records: 132 Symonds St, Auckland. southbound.co.nz/shop
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+PLUS GARDENING
nzherald.co.nz | The New Zealand Herald | Thursday, November 26, 2015
Growing up the wall Getting vertical with your garden ensures even the smallest plot yields a bountiful harvest, writes Sarah O’Neil
W
hen you think of a vegetable garden, the image that generally springs to mind is that of a potagerstyle patch in a perfect backyard with its nice neat rows and weed-free soil and all the plants lush with vigour and vitality. The kind of garden Peter Rabbit would feel quite at home in, as he attempted to steal carrots from under the nose of Mr McGregor. However we live in different times, far removed from the idyllic days when everyone had a large plot, a handful of chickens and even a pig or two in their own backyard to supplement their diets. Not only are we a lot busier than we used to be, but our backyards are smaller and in some cases have been replaced by balconies at lofty heights with incredible views. This is the way of modern life in a bustling metropolis. Yet the desire to want to grow food is almost an instinctual need within us, linking us back to those early days. Often little more can be done other than a pot or two of herbs on a sunny windowsill. Fortunately this need to grow food in busy places with a lack of space has found an outlet through creative gardeners and they have developed
a way to make even the smallest spot yield a bountiful harvest. Vertical gardening is all the rage. Making the most of previously unused spaces is the popular way to garden. Walls and fences in cities across the globe are being adorned with vegetative materials. Some are huge and spectacularly intricate in their design and ability to improve the energy-efficiency of the buildings, add biodiversity to the city and even reduce air pollution. On a much smaller scale this trend in growing allows many greenthumbed gardeners to enjoy something that was once denied to them. A small space is now no longer an obstacle to being able to harvest fresh produce. And as with all things at the height of fashion there are many options available to the keen gardener. From planters that hang from balconies in modern shapes and colours to a wide range of systems that hang from a fence or a sunny wall, there is something to suit everyone. There are even a multitude of ideas for the truly creative to build their own vertical garden system and a quick search on the internet will reward you with many beautiful DIY designs.
Walls and fences in cities across the globe are being adorned with vegetation.
This style of gardening has limitless possibilities. Design is one thing; however we are growing living things and in order for even the fanciest vertical system to look as incredible as it should there are a few things that need to be taken into consideration. ■ Choose the right location for you garden. Ideally you need to choose your sunniest wall or fence so your plants can function at their best. Having said that, even a shady southfacing balcony will be able to grow a great salad crop in the height of summer. ■ Make sure your system is attached
firmly to the wall or fence. Plants in the peak of perfection, plus the soil they are growing in, can be quite a weight. If you aren’t able to attach it to a wall consider constructing a simple frame to hang your garden from. ■ One of the key points of gardening is quality soil gives quality plants. This is the same in the backyard garden as it is halfway up a wall. Start with the best quality potting mix you can afford to ensure your plants have a good foundation. ■ Plants have their own sense of personal space and so it might not be possible to grow all things. Do your research. If the plant ordinarily needs to be grown a metre apart and requires support for growth of over a metre tall, it may not be the plant for your vertical garden. ■ During their lives suspended above the ground these plants will rely on you for everything. Especially
Picture Getty
water. Their roots will be unable to grow beyond the soil in order to seek out moisture. They will also be more at risk of drying out due to their location. Careful attention needs to be paid to these plants to keep them hydrated and in perfect health. A good watering once or twice a day will keep these plants happy, or better still — if possible set up a drip irrigation system to ensure they don’t dry out. ■ Food is also something you will need to give the plants as in the confined space of the hanging container they will quickly use up what nutrients are contained in the soil. Regular feeding with an appropriate plant food will ensure the plant doesn’t even realise it isn’t in the ground and will reward you with a great harvest in the midst of the busy city. Lack of space is no longer an obstacle to growing delicious fresh vegetables, just use your wall.
■ Sarah is a garden blogger, speaker and author. Her books The Good Life and Play in the Garden are available now. On the web: gardeningkiwi. wordpress.com
WIN A YATES NATURAL GOODNESS HAMPER
AVAILABLE IN PHARMACIES, OR ORDER ONLINE
Treat your garden and reap the rewards. Be in to win one of two Yates hampers valued at $270 each and containing: ■ Every gardener’s bible — Yates Garden Guide ■ Dynamic Lifter Organic Plant Food for all types of garden and potted plants ■ A selection of organic vegetable seeds and microgreens seeds ■ Thrive natural fertilisers with the goodness of seaweed and fish ■ Nature’s Way vege insect spray — an organically certified insecticide in concentrate and ready-to-use gun Simply send an email to:
plus@apn.co.nz with Yates prize in the subject line. Two lucky winners will be picked at random. Remember to include your name and mailing address in the body of the email. Competition closes December 3, 2015.
ACCORDING TO LEIGH
D11
There’s no place for caviar in a frugal lifestyle Leigh Bramwell figures out a way of fixing three serious problems — obesity, heart disease and escalating grocery bills — simultaneously
I
t’s really simple. Stop drinking milk and eating cheese. I am leading by example, spurred on by the shock of seeing a 700g block of really boring cheese in the supermarket for $13. Had it been a lovely wedge of parmesan or a runny brie it may have been justifiable, but a rectangle of plasticky-looking cheddar — I don’t think so. But there’s no point complaining about it. The best way to express disapproval of items that are not good value for money is: don’t buy them. I have applied this rule over the past couple of years with 100 per cent success, and can say with complete veracity that not a solitary truffle, a teaspoon of caviar or an eyedropper of Dom Perignon has passed my lips. Not that I’m suggesting there’s anything wrong with truffles, caviar or Dom Perignon — it’s just that they don’t represent good value in my current lifestyle. Actually, they probably didn’t in my previous lifestyle either, but in those days I worked harder and longer, earned more and had enough spare money not to care. Back then, before the stock market crash in 1987, we seemed to have money to burn, and we burnt it. An acquaintance of mine habitually drank Dom Perignon for Sunday breakfast, usually
accompanied by a fillet of beef that he ground up in the mincer and made into hamburgers. It brings to mind the famous Will Rogers quote: “Too many people spend money they haven’t earned, to buy things they don’t want, to impress people they don’t like.” It’s possible that quantities of other luxury food items are ingested for exactly those reasons. Alba white truffles sell for anything up to $15,000 per kilo, although you can get the common old black ones for a mere $240. Beluga caviar can be had for $10,000 a kilo, and if you like you can sprinkle it with edible gold leaf at $32 per 15mg. Gold leaf is licensed as a food additive but even so, I probably won’t be eating a lot of it between now and the arrival of my Gold Card. I’m using a tip I found on a blog by someone calling him or herself a frugillionaire, and it’s working. It was this: Figure out your nett worth. Keep it top of mind and call on that figure whenever you are making financial decisions. It works, at least for people like me whose nett worth is a number you can speak in a millisecond. When I’m of a mind to buy something unnecessary, I quickly work out the percentage by which it will reduce my net worth, and I don’t buy it.
Not that I’m suggesting there’s anything wrong with truffles, caviar or Dom Perignon — it’s just that they don’t represent good value in my current lifestyle
However, before you go rushing off to the Frugillionaire website to find out how to manage in Reduced Circumstances, let me warn you that you will be told to make your own duvet covers by buying budget sheets and sewing them together. Personally I’d rather sleep on the floor, and fortunately there are better ways. You could consider selling your car. If you can walk, bike or take public transport where you need to go, you will eliminate spending on petrol, registration, warrants of fitness, insurance, maintenance, repairs costs and traffic fines. Assuming you can in fact afford to leave the house, you will get fitter and thinner by cycling or walking to wherever you need to go, and you will reduce your spend at the
supermarket and the wine shop because you won’t be able to carry so much stuff home. Perfect. If you live in a city, you could join a car share programme, or start one in your own town. Many New Zealanders have taken the tiny house movement a little bit to heart and are downsizing their mansions as they head into retirement. This works in two ways. One, small houses are cheaper to run than big ones, and two, you’ll have to stop buying unnecessary items (like duvet covers) because there’s nowhere to put anything. If you can’t bear to downsize, get a flatmate. It’ll take you back to your misspent youth and make you feel younger while increasing your income. You’ll have someone to natter to
in the evenings and won’t have to spend money going to bars looking for company. And if you’re not going to bars, you’ll save money on clothes. When you do have to buy something, take advantage of the current trend to metallics — silver and gold go with everything. So — does this mean I should reduce my nett worth by $149 and buy the silver handbag I have been thinking about since Monday? Or would that put me in the same category as Steve Martin, who said: “I love money. I love everything about it. I bought some pretty good stuff. Got me a $300 pair of socks. Got a fur sink. An electric dog polisher. A gasolinepowered turtleneck sweater. “And, of course, I bought some dumb stuff, too.”
D12
nzherald.co.nz | The New Zealand Herald | Thursday, November 26, 2015
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+PLUS TRAVEL
Hit the trail this summer
D13
Our long weekend — riding about half the trail — topped a long list of shared adventures over many years
An uneconomic railway line now inspires locals and tourists to get on their bikes
B
lair of Balclutha was a standout among the chic and affluent riding the Otago Central Rail Trail last week-
end. He was squinting over the rails of a viaduct above Manuherikia River: having spotted some enormous brown trout, he was plotting how to catch them for lunch. No high-end titanium cycle or designer shades for this guy. Riders from Auckland and Melbourne were kitted out in the latest brand-name gear, but Blair had just an old bike with “slippy gears” and a dozen of beer strapped to the carrier. The cheery dairy worker disdained padded shorts, having joined mates to pedal the trail in jeans (not recommended). A rough diamond perhaps, but more than 100 years ago it was plain Kiwi blokes like Blair who laid foundations for this remarkable rail trail. Central Otago farmers and orchardists needed a railway, so the navvies were put to work. Tough guys wielded picks and shovels, humped barrows and lit the odd stick of dynamite. They piled up the vast earthworks
Paul Charman and constructed huge bridges and viaducts . . . Sadly, by the 1990s the line was uneconomic. Tracks and sleepers set in place with such pride were ripped up and carted away. But then came the local visionaries, the wise heads who decided to turn New Zealand’s longest branch line (Clyde to Middlemarch) into a world-class bike track. The Otago Central Rail Trail has been open since 2000, attracting 10,000 to 12,000 riders each year. You can ride 150km, passing mountains and valleys which have inspired galleries full of paintings. Our long weekend — riding about half the trail — topped a long list of shared adventures for my wife and me over many years. We crammed in 80km of trail proper (Oturehua to Clyde); plus an amazing 30km detour — Roxburgh
The Otago Rail Trail passes through some of New Zealand’s most beautiful landscapes.
Gorge to Clyde. Though we are regular cyclists, we’d barely prepared, but we need not have worried. Trail Journeys Ltd provided excellent bikes and took care of all logistics. The company van carried us to the highest point of the trail to trundle back to Clyde for two days with gravity on our side. What’s more, staff picked up our baggage in the morning and whisked it to our evening accommodation. Depending on the level of service, this can add up to about $150 a day, with accomodation (from $65 a night) on top. So with very little to carry, the uphill sections weren’t that difficult, while the downhill ones were exhil-
arating. The only pains we experienced were not in the legs. We left the trail with the heartache one experiences farewelling a close friend. But on that score — and with all due respect to Blair — proper food and hydration (plus protective clothing, including padded cycle shorts, or a gel seat cover) are essential. Central Otago landscapes seen on TV had initially attracted us, but the reality far exceeded them: the mountains, the brooding, dramatic cloud formations, boulders like Stonehenge. Lambs were playing; quail and pheasants scuttered before our wheels and hawks circled. You lunge for a camera at each corner, while long, empty straights
seem a tonic. They’re calming and meditative for us cyclists who get pushed around in Auckland traffic. At Clyde, if you get the opportunity to load your bikes into a Clutha River Cruises jetboat, take it. After being shown through ancient goldminers’ huts built into walls of the gorge, we were put ashore to pedal about 10km back to Clyde. The almost deserted Roxburgh Gorge Cycle Trail seemed almost ethereal that afternoon, like cycling beside a vast Martian canal. I could write more about superb stone-walled hotels, fresh local produce, abundant trailside cafes and friendly service . . . but why not see www.centralotagonz.com and find out for yourself.
D14
+PLUS DESIGN
nzherald.co.nz | The New Zealand Herald | Thursday, November 26, 2015
In modern homes there is more use of screens and moveable partitions. Picture Sonya Cotter Design
Environment change Our homes are becoming smaller, more adaptable and smarter — all of which are reflected in the latest design trends, writes Dionne Christian
H
ow do you make something smaller seem more spacious? Is it okay to use bright colours or is it best to stick with tried and true neutrals? Can I make my own wallpaper? Given trends in home building, these questions are more relevant than ever to those choosing interior design schemes for new homes or redesigning, refurbishing and decorating afresh existing houses. When it comes to the latest trends in interior design, there are some things to note. Our homes are getting smaller, partly because housing developments are more intensive and a growing number of us are concerned about the environmental impacts of sprawling McMansions. At the same time, there are more people living in our homes: adult children aren’t moving out as early, grandparents may be moving in or an international student could be living in the spare room to help pay off the mortgage. While we’re on the subject of cost, rising house prices mean we’re staying put and adapting existing homes rather than moving on and out when circumstances change. Architectural designers have seen a big impact on the way they work, with more clients wanting homes with a floor plan less than 150 sq m. The Architectural Designers NZResene Architectural Design Awards now include a category for a compact new home up to 150sq m. But architectural designers aren’t the only ones facing these changes; interior designers are also seeing and having to respond to new challenges. It seems the idea of rooms is giving way to concepts involving multifunctional and flexible spaces able to be adapted for a range of uses. “The word ‘room’ is disappearing from our vocabulary to be replaced by the term ‘space’,” says designer Sonya Cotter, a consultant lifestyle and colour trend forecaster. “The move toward more openplan living means spaces must be able
Kitchens have become the hub of the home, reflecting the character and Picture Thinkstock lifestyles of those who live there.
to ‘multi-task’ and expand or contract depending on what it may be used for at any one point.” She likens the relationship from room to room — or space to space — to an interconnected community and says it’s having a marked impact on the layout of our homes, the materials
Rising house prices mean we’re staying put and adapting existing homes rather than moving on and out when circumstances change used and the ways in which colour is brought into play. Technology is also making it possible to bring a more personal touch to our homes. Bespoke wallpaper or paint colours? Now you can create it. “We’re taking inspiration from the office — from commercial spaces — and putting some ideas into play in
the residential environment,” says Sonya. “This includes elements like the use of screens and moveable walls or partitions which can open and close. “Because each space opens up to the next, there is a need to create connections and to foster good flow and a sense of space. “A focal element — like a beautiful window with trees behind it, or a feature wall either painted or wallpapered with something striking but not overly distracting — helps create a sense of length and spaciousness.” She sees a growing number of homeowners becoming more confident in using bolder colours in their homes, possibly because more of us plan to live in the same house for longer, rather than being focused on re-sale value. “There is a growing awareness that we don’t have to be stuck with a colour scheme — it can be changed — and not only does colour have to go on the walls. Curtains, accessories like cushions and lampshades and
rugs and mats can be used to brighten up a space. “The advent of digital printing means you can create and order your own wallpapers online; it turns up in rolls and you install it like standard wallpaper. “For one client, we crafted a wallpaper based on an Instagram feed and used it as a feature on one wall. Geometric patterning and painting used, for example, on shelving and ombre effects on walls are being seen more often, too.” But there are still more traditional issues to consider, like home acoustics, the durability of surfaces and finishes and, of course, keeping things looking good for as long as possible. For example, how do you deal with noise in a more open-plan home? Sonya says it’s now possible to use a wider range of materials which aid sound isolation and absorption, including wallpapers and panels with sound absorbing properties. She’s also a fan of nanotechnology which is playing a greater role in the durability of household surfaces and appliances. Nano-ceramic particles, for example, enhance the smoothness of surfaces as well as improving scratch resistance. Future advances could include surfaces which recharge mobile phones placed on them.
O
f all the spaces which are altering to meet the demands of modern life, she believes it is the kitchen which has seen the greatest change. It’s become the hub of the home, reflecting the character and lifestyles of those who live there, while technology can be more cleverly integrated and new materials — authentic imitation ranges — are opening up greater decorating options. Sonya points to laminated bench tops and vinyl floor tiles that look just like granite and marble; faux brick wallpapers and finishes with more realistic timber appearances as examples of authentic imitation. “Everybody deserves good design
Sonya Cotter
and technology is leaping ahead and making it possible for good design to be achievable no matter what the budget.” If attention has focused on modernising and opening up kitchen and dining areas, bathrooms are now having their moment in the spotlight. In a smaller home, they may be one of the only places where one can retreat and experience blissful solitude. “We’ve sorted out our kitchens and now bathrooms will be next,” she says. “I see them as becoming more like wellness spaces where you can take time out and truly relax in a beautiful and functional environment which combines durable surface materials, functional but stylish storage and good lighting.” Technology could play a greater part in the bathroom, too. There are now mirrors which are also waterproof screens where you can go online to check traffic updates or watch the latest TV news as you ready yourself for the day. Those developments are expanding to include elements like biosensitive floors which can let you know how much you weigh or smart toothbrushes which can alert you to dental and other health problems.
D15
ADVERTORIAL
FUNDING RETIREMENT CAN BE TOUGH
Over 80% of New Zealanders aged 65+ own their own home, most of them mortgage-free. However, their median income is just $20,200, with many depending entirely or largely on New Zealand Superannuation. While this can be enough to get by, for many it doesn’t cover unexpected expenses like house maintenance, car repairs, or taking a trip to visit family. And it certainly doesn’t allow for any luxuries. Kiwis’ expectations of retirement have changed over the years. We’re living longer, healthier lives and we’re looking for an active, but independent retirement. Attitudes to inter-generational wealth have also taken a new course. These days children are likely to be close to retirement themselves by the time they’d receive any inheritance, meaning leaving a legacy is becoming less relevant. Looking after yourself first can make more sense – and many children would rather see their parents, who have worked hard all their lives, enjoying their retirement rather than struggling to get by. Home equity release can be a viable option to help bridge this gap between expectation and income in retirement. It’s a category that has evolved considerably over recent years, largely in response to New Zealand’s ageing population that has directed much of its savings into the family home.
as long as you wish, and you never owe more than your house is worth. That is guaranteed. Heartland Bank’s National Retail Manager, Andrew Ford, says home improvements or repairs are a common use of Heartland’s Home Equity Loans, allowing retirees to remain living in their homes more comfortably. “They can also add to the home’s value. Some use the funds to upgrade their car to something more reliable. Others for travel, often to see family overseas before long-distance journeys become too difficult.” The money released can in many cases be quite small, but it can really improve your day-to-day living experience. While many scrape by on government super, council rates, insurance bills and any unexpected expenses can create significant stress. Whether it’s having a home that’s warm and secure, greater and safer mobility with an upgraded car, or the memories and satisfaction that come from visiting family, a Home Equity Loan can transform your life.
A Home Equity Loan is similar to a regular mortgage, but it’s specifically designed for retirees and you don’t need to make regular repayments. You continue to own and live in your home
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Now therre’s a way to remove the worry and stay in the home you love. A Heartlaand Home Equity Loan allows you to access the value in your laargest financial asset, your home, without having to sell it. It’’s a flexible wayy to release cash when you need it most. So wheth her it’s an unforeseen expense, money for renovating your hom me or for that trip of a lifetime, you can get the peace of mind you deserve. Call Heartland Seniors Finance on 0800 488 740 to see how we can help you. Stay wheere you belong.
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Heartland Seniors Finance is a division of Heartland Bank Limited. Heartland Bank Limited’s lending criteria, fees and charges apply.
D16
nzherald.co.nz | The New Zealand Herald | Thursday, November 26, 2015
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FOR LIFE
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